Written by Andor Carnes   

Reading here in RSN, “Obama Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower” by Wayne Henrich, I saw George Kennedy comment in part, “………Republicans and conservatives subscribe to the iron law of communications: tell people what you are going to tell them; then tell them what you want to tell them; then, tell them what you just told them.”

Here, he has touched on the "circle for credibility" factor. It does not matter which version of the truth a statement is intended to be, when the only modicum of truth is that it is being repeated and that the only thing that can reinforce perceived credibility is that repetition. The media unwittingly tightens this circle by repeating it, and that ironically implies additional layers of credibility simply because it was said again.

These credibility circles are resplendent in politics, and they are like schools of sardines, balling up, turning and rotating –tighter and tighter, spinning in unison to some mysterious cue. We, floating nearby in our scuba gear, are mesmerized. We are fascinated by the reflection of their consistency and the repetition of their lack of whirling detail. The closer we get, the tighter and faster they rotate, returning again and again and again to their last point, until they are a solid ball of shimmering defense.

At times like this and simply for our own safety’s sake, we should struggle to gain our senses and just back off and let them slow and disperse slightly. Sure, the show will not be as pretty; however and importantly so for us all, because of our seriously reduced proximity to the boil, we will be proportionally less likely to end up in the belly of a whale.